


Nothing Good Ever Happens in Spaceships

by Batagur



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Episode Tag, Ficathon, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-13
Updated: 2008-07-13
Packaged: 2017-10-10 14:46:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/100925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batagur/pseuds/Batagur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack tries to make Daniel understand what it is he does to him. Daniel tries to make Jack understand that he knows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing Good Ever Happens in Spaceships

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whimsicalwhims](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=whimsicalwhims).



> Episode tag for season 10 - The Shroud (Spoilers for episodes 10x14 and 10x20).
> 
> J/D Ficathon Prompt:1. spaceships 2. season 7 or later. Optional Request: A conflict between characters. (I enjoy angst and happy endings equally).
> 
> Beta'd by the ever talentedamazonx. I hope I made it within the requirements.

~*~Daniel

"See this?" Jack tugged on a tuft of his short, gray hair at the top of his head while giving Daniel that wide-eyed, _'stop fucking with me, Daniel'_ stare. "You!"

Jack pointed a finger at Daniel's nose, and Daniel understood quite clearly what it was that he was talking about. They had known each other for close to twelve years and Jack had not been a gray haired man until about the third year of their acquaintance.

_"I had to do it"_ Those words were the logical explanation, but Daniel knew from the long years of acquaintance with Jack O'Neill that those words went without saying; so, Daniel didn't say them. He simply drew his lips into a cynical pout and stared at Jack like he should know better. And Jack should know better. How long have they been out there, saving the universe?

"You come back as a Prior, you steal a starship, and you abduct a general." Jack continued to glare at him. "What other color would you like my hair to turn?"

"No one was listening to me, and I didn't see that that was going to change any time soon," Daniel replied smoothly. He knew that Jack would grouse all the way back to earth, but eventually he would see things his way. "I understand. I'm sure I would have had some doubts too…."

"But you expect miracles of trust from me!" Jack snapped indignantly.

"You gave the order to shut the supergate down," Daniel reminded him.

"Yeah, that was me, second idiot to the left with a minor speaking roll," Jack replied.

"You did hesitated."

Jack blinked at Daniel, giving him that look that said he thought him clearly crazy. "Why are we having this conversation?" Jack asked.

Daniel sighed explosively as he considered him. Always a contrary ass, Jack O'Neill was the one soul in the universe who actually understood him. Daniel's reply to the heavens: 'Why me?'

"I just want to make the point that you did, in fact, doubt me strongly enough that there was a very noticeable hesitation. No one will blame your compliance. I'll claim you were coerced."

"You are not lying for me," Jack growled.

Jack was a stubborn mule. When he said things like that, Daniel knew that the fight was on. Nevertheless, Daniel was determined to protect Jack in all this. Jack had not asked to be abducted and swept up into this madness. All he had done was come back to the mountain out of concern for the man he thought was POW to a galactic religious cult. All he had done is defended someone he cared strongly for when he thought Daniel would be sent to the dissection table at area 51.

"I'm not letting you take a hit for backing me up," Daniel sighed again. He was still very tired. Carrying two distinct consciousnesses around in one's head for a number of weeks can be very exhausting. When Merlin had left, Daniel had felt grief, regret, and relief, but he still couldn't puzzle out whose emotions belonged to whom. At this point, he was still too tired to try. And he was too tired to have this argument.

Still dressed in the blue scrubs he had been in the Odyssey's infirmary, Daniel rubbed his forehead and looked out the observation window as matter and light streaked past in sheets of liquid brilliance, eddying and flowing like a river of time and space. Deep down, he hated space ships. Nothing good ever happened to him on them. He liked stargate; he hated space ships.

"I backed you up," Jack said with emphasis. "And I'll take full responsibility for it. You didn't coerce me. You did steal the ship… and me, but you didn't coerce me. I am my own idiot." Jack sighed then. "Look, if you're right, we just won a major battle here; never mind the fleet of Ori ships that were waiting to come through the supergate… Daniel… I guess I'm saying… that… well, yes, I trust you. I always have. I always will… even against my own better judgment."

Jack shoved his hands in his pockets then and looked down while shuffling his feet, an old gesture, so endearing to Daniel that he couldn't help the sweet smile that came to his face.

"Why are we shouting at each other?" Jack asked, looking at Daniel once more.

"Because that is what we do. Especially after the really intense situations we always seem to wind up in," Daniel answered sincerely.

"We really need to stop," Jack replied.

"Okay," Daniel said softly. He could see it in Jack's eyes. He was troubled.

~*~Jack  
Jack rolled his eyes and wondered if he would lose a star over this whole mess. He had been the one who gave the order that had disengaged the supergate and allowed Daniel's little Ori killing gizmo to go through, but the trade off was that seven Ori cruisers had passed into the Milky Way for their troubles. To top it off, they didn't know if the ascended being killing doohickey even work. Oh yes, there goes a star, maybe both stars. He'll have to get use to being called colonel again. He was pretty sure that one didn't stay on the Joint Chiefs of Staff with the rank of colonel.

Oh well, Joint Chiefs of Staff sucked donkey dick any way.

Jack paced the small observation room for a moment, his long legs carrying him five steps before he found he needed to turn and pace back again. Silly ships were still made for the Asgard. Too cramped and not enough room for a long legged man to move. He needed to move, to expel the energy of pent up frustration that still churned him up from the inside out.

How did he explain this to Daniel? How did he make him understand the raw, visceral reaction he still had to Daniel's peril?

"Daniel…" He had to try the words. So hard, yet so necessary, they were stiff in his mind and uncomfortable as they tumbled out of his mouth. He felt his face grow hot with a blush. "When Woolsey said 'terminate'… I kept visualizing leaping out of my chair at him and tearing out his throat with my own teeth."

"That's a rather disturbing image." Daniel grimaced.

"Oh? Well you should have seen how you looked as a Prior," Jack replied, raising both eyebrows as him regarded Daniel. "I may have nightmares."

Daniel smiled, and it was a slow, sad smile that made Jack stop. He sat back down across the table from Daniel.

"I'm getting to old for this," Jack said softly.

"You'll never be old, Jack."

Jack looked up into Daniel's sad-eyed smile and wondered if Daniel still really believed that. What happened to that superman with his P-90 and his assertive desire to irritate the geeks on his team? When did sleep and bowel movements move up on his daily priority list? When did he go from Bart to Grandpa Simpson?

"You practically make me crawl out of my skin with worry for months, come back, scolding because we took so long, make me believe in you when all the warning bells in my head are singing 'don't be a fool!' Then you pull this stunt." Jack sighed. "Outta the frying pan…."

"I'll always be there to catch you before you hit the fire, Jack… just like you are for me." Daniel stood, coming around the small table, he sat on the edge, letting his shin bump Jack's thigh. "I thought we were going to stop with the arguing?"

Jack looked up into Daniel's blue eyes that still regarding him carefully. "I'm not arguing," Jack said. "I'm just stating the obvious… with great emphasis."

"Well, why don't you stop with the 'stating the obvious with great emphasis' for now and give me a proper 'welcome back'?"

Jack couldn't say no when Daniel was still smiling at him like that. He both hated and loved that smile. It was a smile that said so much that Jack did and didn't want to hear. It was the echoes of everything they were to each other and everything they could never truly be. It would never be enough.

Jack pushed himself up from his seat with a tired sigh, but he grasped Daniel's wrist, pulling him up as well and into a near crushing embrace.

"Welcome home, Daniel," he murmured against the soft short hairs at the base of Daniel's neck.

"What? No 'Spacemonkey'?" Daniel chuckled in reply as his arms squeezed tight about Jack in return.

Jack pulled back from the embrace enough to look Daniel in the eye, giving him a considering frown. "You don't look much like a monkey anymore."

"Thanks," Daniel answered, with a very slight eye roll and a smile.

"Well…" And Jack stalled out, unsure how to proceed. He'd never pulled verbal punches with Daniel. He knew he could take it, but perhaps suggesting that Daniel was a little long-in-the-tooth for such an epithet would be crossing some sort of line. But, then again, maybe the line he was crossing wasn't with Daniel.

He looked at the man he still held in his arms. Fine lines creased the edges on his eyes as he continued to hold that pleasant half-smile. That upside down V fold of his brow, which had only shown in his youth when he was concentrating, had become a permanent fixture in his forehead, deep and dramatic, adding character and distinction. The landscape of his jaw was changing, becoming fuller and accenting the chin's domain with a line that extended to the laugh lines of his mouth. And even in the low light of the observation room, Jack could see the slight peppering of gray hair, a little more concentrate at Daniel's temples but dispersed throughout. Nevertheless, the gray was only visible when you where this close to him.

No, this man was not his "spacemonkey" any more. And, as he had earlier stated to Daniel, Jack himself was no spring chicken.

Jack reached for him, his hand touching lightly along Daniel's left cheek and tracing softly to his chin, touching the places where the marks of a Prior of Origin had been. Daniel closed his eyes; then opened them again. This time the slow sad smile was gone from his expression.

~*~Daniel  
Daniel studied Jack's expression; the look of determined concentration that made his feature look stern at the same time accented the loose flesh at his neck. Sometimes seeing Jack's age so close made him cringe inside. It made his sense of self preservation itch. He didn't think he needed to get away from the discomfiture. No, that was not it at all. Jack was just such an extension of himself that the thought that he maybe growing old, that he may be fading away or dying made a need to do something surge through Daniel. He didn't know just what to do, but that didn't matter. A thousand crazy plans would race through his head, and they always began with the essential factor that doomed them from the start: Steal Jack away.

Then he wanted to laugh at himself as he thought this, for what had he just done here on the Odyssey? Obviously, it wasn't all that impossible. However, having the powers of a Prior had helped.

Jack was touching his face. Daniel was studying Jack's eyes. There was warmth there, in his eyes. There was always warmth there for him. When there wasn't, Jack had not been able to hold his gaze for long.

Jack's eyes were beautiful, rich and brown and warm. Just like black coffee. Yes, Jack was like black coffee: sometimes sobering, sometimes jolting and sometimes bracing. He could be sweet or bitter. He went down better hot than cold. You could take his edge off but never water him down. He was a serious drink, but he went with any mood and any occasion. He was a staple in Daniel's life; almost as essential as water.

Well, he had gone quite sometime without either staple: coffee or Jack.

"I could use a cup of coffee," he said, interrupting Jack's exploration of the terrain of his face with a tender, two-fingered caress.

"Oh?" Jack's hand stopped in mid caress as he looked at Daniel with that sweetly endearing curious expression only he could effect. Daniel could not help the smile that came to his face once more.

"There must be some coffee on this ship," Daniel said softly as his gaze lowered to Jack's expressive mouth. Jack's lips were not full, but they were shapely and exquisite in a genuine way. They were long and mobile, with a dramatic curve that could be pinched to sternness or stretched to express joy. But Daniel liked them best as they were now, soft and malleable, slightly parted and waiting. Jack's fingers were on the move again and Daniel delighted in the feeling of that light tracing touch against his cheekbone.

"There is," Jack answered. "You want me to get some?" He whispered.

Daniel's smile grew slightly as he shook his head. "No."

Daniel leaned in capturing Jack's sweet lips with his. Yes, this would do in lieu of coffee. Soft and sweet and nicely hot, the taste of Jack on Daniel's tongue was just enough. He missed this.

Jack pulled back slightly, disengaging the kiss, but their lips were still close, nearly touching.

"Is that door locked?" Daniel asked in a serious whisper as he let his lips caress across Jack's lightly.

"No," Jack answered, simply.

"Okay." Daniel nuzzled in a small kiss against the corner of Jack's mouth. "Does the door have a lock?"

"Why don't we take this to a room with a door that does have a lock," Jack suggested.

"Well, um, okay," Daniel breathed out, releasing Jack from his arms as Jack let go of him.

"C'mon," Jack nodded towards the door, tugging briefly on Daniel's wrist.

~*~Jack  
"This motel charges by the hour," Jack said as he led Daniel to one of the larger officer's quarters on the ship.

"How convenient," Daniel dead-panned in reply. "The big room's a perk?" he added as he stepped inside, looking about the roomy quarters and the large double bed.

"Rank has its privileges…." Jack smiled as he bounced briefly on the balls of his feet. He then reach back and keyed the lock. "Like locking doors."

"All the amenities," Daniel turned to look at him.

Jack's smile faded as he realized how little time they had and how very beautiful Daniel was to him. He wanted forever, but they both knew that forever was not for today. Maybe someday, but not any day soon. They could spend this precious time hunting down a cup of coffee and chewing over yesterday's triumphs and blunders or they could be together.

Remembering how very delicious it had felt to have Daniel's lips on his, Jack knew for certain that coffee and reminiscing could wait. He reached for Daniel, pulling him close once more. A sigh escaped Jack as he nuzzled close to Daniel's neck, breathing in his scent. His eyes strayed past Daniel to the port window where hyperspace streaked on endlessly about them, racing them back to a life that restricted joy to solitary, private moments stolen in the press of days that demanded their full attention on the problems that face a whole planet and the galaxy in which it existed.

They didn't have enough time. They could never have enough time as far as Jack was concerned, and he cursed his general's stars again for taking him away, even though he knew it had been the right thing to do for so many different reasons.

Nevertheless, knowing how short their time was together, Jack took the moment into his hands, lifting his head from Daniel's shoulder so he could kiss him as completely as possible. And Daniel's lips were luxurious to Jack. They were soft and warm and full; they were one of Jack's favorite happy places. Jack angled his head as he tenderly nibbled Daniel's lower lip. A small bubble of laughter came up from Daniel, but his lips parted and Jack slid his tongue home. Ah, his warm, wet, happy place. And Daniel's tongue was so agile against his. Jack had to wonder if it was the linguist thing that helped.

"Missed you," Daniel whispered between wet kisses.

"I'm shocked," Jack murmured his teasing reply.

Daniel pushed back looking him over with a half-serious frown. "Jack!"

Jack shrugged. "Well?" He looked Daniel over intently. "You might have missed something or someone else more…"

Daniel sighed and smiled, obviously not wanting to deal with whatever pop-up insecurities Jack had suddenly discovered. "Shut up, Jack."

He kissed Jack once more, and Jack had to admit, it seemed silly to waste time and breath on such things when Daniel's kisses were sweet, hot and unrelenting. It was silly to talk when Daniel's body melded tight against Jack's own, and there was nothing between his hands and Daniel's bare skin but the coarse fabric of the blue infirmary scrub.

It wasn't a shock, but Jack was a little taken unaware when he felt Daniel's hand come up between them and start to unbutton his BDUs.

"Too many clothes…" he whispered against Jack's lips before he captured them in a deep and searing kiss once again. Jack groaned his assent as he let Daniel undress him. The fumbling only lasted moments. His shirt was peeled off of him and dropped unceremoniously to the floor. His paints were opened and pushed down until they pooled about his booted feet. His tee shirt was nearly yanked over his head in haste as Daniel seemed reluctant to disengage his lips for any length of time.

At last, Daniel released him, but only to push him back to the bed, dumping him backwards. Jack landed with a bounce.

~*~Daniel

Daniel had pushed Jack down on the bed and the man lay there sprawled before him in a glorious mess: his torso naked, his boxers tenting and his pants around his ankles. Daniel controlled his laughter and suppressed a smile; for despite how silly Jack looked, he looked undeniably sexy as well. And the more Daniel looked at him and contemplated all the things he wanted to do to that lean, whipcord body, the deeper his breath came to his lungs and the hotter he seemed to feel.

He reached for Jack's feet, carefully unlacing and removing the combat boots, slipping them free to hit the floor with heavy thuds. Daniel peeled off Jack's socks exposing long, elegant toes. Daniel had never considered himself a foot fetishist until he found himself enamored with Jack's toes. Unfortunately, Jack wouldn't let Daniel suck on them like he always wished to do.

_"Just no, Daniel! Do you know where these feet have been; how much skin fungus they have seen?"_

But Daniel hadn't cared. All he knew was that those slender, distinctive digits that graced Jack's feet were some of the sexiest toes he had ever known. He snuck a kiss to Jack's left big toe, causing all the toes to wiggle in protest.

"You do realize that doesn't make me enthusiastic to kiss you again," Jack declared.

Daniel laughed. He knew Jack would kiss him again and again. Jack always kissed him again and with great enthusiasm, regardless where Daniel's lip landed prior. So Daniel took his time, doing the kissing tour of Jack's body. That was rather nice. After long weeks behind enemy lines, playing the patsy to Adria and her minions, it was refreshing to be so free with himself. This was where he wanted to be, he thought to himself as he let his hands slip up the loose fabric of legs of Jack's light blue boxers.

Jack was a sensual feast. His skin was delightfully textured against his tongue, between soft and salty skin and course hair on his legs, his chest, and of course, the lavish delight between his thighs.

"Daniel?"

Daniel was very happily occupied filling his brain with Jack's scent as he nuzzled against his boxer covered crotch when that small questioning tone entered the haze of his lust.

"Yes, Jack."

"C'mere for a sec," Jack said.

So Daniel did, sliding up Jack's body in a sensual glide, trailing his hands up along Jack's fleshy flanks. And just to prove a point, he kissed Jack deeply as he reached his mouth, snickering his triumph slightly into the kiss that he had stolen after only moments before kissing Jack's toe.

"You wanted me?" Daniel knew that the husky sound of his own voice was the reason Jack had to pause, just looking at Daniel as if he was an enigma with whipped cream and a cherry on top.

But Jack merely settled back to look at Daniel, tenderly placing a hand to his face, his thumb caressing a cheekbone.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry," he said softly.

"For what?" Daniel asked.

"For doubting you." And Jack looked down and away from him for a moment, visibly discomfited with his own inability to be everything to Daniel.

Daniel smiled, nuzzling into Jack's caress, he kissed the palm of his hand. "Jack," he said on the end of an exasperated sigh. "I couldn't possibly blame you for that. Hell, if it had been anyone, if it had even been Teal'c, I couldn't blame you for doubting. You had only my word to go on and… Damn it, Jack… "

Daniel stopped as he thought about the next words that were about to come out of his mouth. The force of their truth hit him full in the heart, and he looked up at Jack with so much admiration in his eyes, he was sure he was glowing with it. "You believed in me… when it counted. You did trust me."

"I love you."

Rare words from General Jack O'Neill. Daniel could count on one hand how many times he had heard those words from Jack, and he was sure he would have only exhausted the muscles of two fingers tops. Four years as lovers and two 'I love you's.

Daniel kissed the lips that had just spoken those precious words to him. He kissed them slowly, reverently, tasting them in all their glory. His very own General. His Jack. How special and priceless this man was to him. How beautiful and rare was this feeling they shared. It was a love so different from what he had shared with his wife, and yet, it still burned just as bright. Just as no one would ever replace Sha're, no one would ever be able to replace Jack.

Daniel looked into his eyes, cupping Jack's face in his hands. "I just don't want you to be reprimanded for my actions. I don't want this to hurt you. If I could have found a better way, I would have."

Jack smiled, taking one of Daniel's hands from his face and holding it tight. "Hey, I can take care of myself you know."

"I know, Jack…."

"No, you don't," Jack interrupted. "I can see it in your eyes. Look, I know I've been away and not under your feet, but I'm the same ol' Jack you've always known… remember that guy? The one you were telling me about while you where in the chair with that anti-Prior thing anti-Prioring you?"

That made Daniel laugh. It was more than the silly things he said, it was the tone of voice and the look on his face, so straight and yet too serious to be true. Jack was a master of the straight-faced one-liners.

"Daniel," Jack said in a quieter tone, calling his attention back up to his soft brown eyes. "Really, I'm okay."

"Jack…"

"I'm gonna be just fine, and so are you," Jack reassured. "We are alive and we are here together. That's gotta count for something good?"

"Nothing good ever happens to me in space ships," Daniel replied with a wry expression.

Jack frowned in a thoughtful way. "Time to break the cycle then."

"Fine," Daniel said, a note of playful irritation touching his voice. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to resume with my original plans to have my way with your body… I was about to move on to the part where I paint my name across every inch of you in every language I know, using only my tongue."

"By all means, carry on," Jack replied brightly. "Nice to see so much initiative and dedication. It's one of the things I've chiefly missed in my current assignment."

Daniel didn't reply to that. He was too busy starting the process by tracing the first Hieroglyph that represented the 'Da' sound in his name along Jack's throat.

~*~ After note

Some months later, as Daniel realized, stuck as he was in a time dilatation on the first ship that something good had finally happened to him, that it hadn't really broke the cycle at all. Nevertheless, he decided to make the most of it. But every time he closed his eyes, when he didn't see Sha're, he saw Jack.

Best not to share that one with Vala. She knew about the Sha're thoughts, and she was kind to him about them. That only made him appreciate more everything she was to him as a friend and a lover. Nevertheless, he wasn't too sure how she would react to the idea of being replaced in fantasy every now and again by Jack O'Neill.

End


End file.
